Mineral and vitamin compositions are commonly taken as dietary aids either as therapeutic preparations directed to a specific medical problem or as general nutritional supplements.
Iron deficiency anemias have been conventionally treated with a wide variety of compounds including elementary iron, ferrous compounds, ferric compounds and iron complexes. One of the most common forms of iron-deficiency anemia is that associated with pregnancy.
In treating iron-deficiency anemia, it is important that the bioavailability of the iron be maximized for a given iron content. Simply increasing the iron content in a unit dosage in an effort to achieve the required levels of iron absorption can cause constipation and other undesired G.I. side effects without achieving the anticipated level of absorption due to interference in the iron's absorption from other components contained in the dietary supplement composition.